Perfection
by kittikat8531
Summary: Someone's been interfering in Sarah's life, and she wants to know why. That search for answers takes her back to the Labyrinth to learn what she should have seen long ago. Please R&R.


AN: Wow, this took way too long to write. I actually had the vast majority of this done ages ago but I wasn't sure how to end it or if I should keep going. I decided against it finally. To be clear, this is a one-shot. It will not be expanded as far as I know, though with me there's always a possibility, but it's highly unlikely. So, without further ado, welcome to my third Labyrinth fic.

Disclaimer: If I owned Jareth or any of the rest, you can be assured I wouldn't share. So obviously I don't.

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Sarah Williams was no fool.

No, not a fool at all. Her time in the Labyrinth had taught her many things, a number of hard-earned lessons that carried her through life, particularly when things were difficult.

They weren't, though. Her life wasn't difficult. She had finished high school with honors, had been accepted to every college she applied for, had been valedictorian of her graduating class, had begun work.

Her acting had immediately been praised, and her career had been building slowly but well since the moment she began. First, it had been local theatre, small productions. When she wasn't performing, she took odd jobs to make ends meet, and they always did. She never had a hard time with her temporary work either. She had been hired on the spot more than once, and she knew at least one time there had been more qualified applicants.

A director that made rounds of local groups saw her in the production of the musical "Wicked", and she was moved up to a popular troupe that travelled the state while performing whatever the people preferred. The group prided itself on being very versatile.

Not too long later, a second director noticed Sarah, this one working for a cast in New York City. Sarah had accepted the opportunity, for she had also learned to accept the good things that came her way, but this seemed so good as to be untrue. While she had been suspicious for some time, it began to form more quickly.

The job in New York was good, and she worked her way through the ranks until she frequently landed the female lead. It wasn't Broadway, but it was paying well and was a permanent position. Sarah enjoyed New York, and often convinced her parents to come with Toby and see her shows.

It turned out that Broadway abruptly experienced a desperate shortage in manpower due to an illness that swept the cast and crew. Sarah's director recommended her to join the chorus. She agreed, and a few months later she was on stage in a Broadway performance for the first time. From there, it was only logical that she began to move up once more, gaining larger and larger parts.

Perhaps saying her life wasn't difficult wasn't entirely accurate. It was work, challenging and rewarding, but all in all, it seemed far and away to be going too perfectly. Sarah had been fifteen when she first learned not to trust what seemed too amazing to be real.

Images of the crystal ballroom swirled in her mind, though she often tried to banish them. She had chosen the mundane world for her brother's sake, and she would not change that decision even if given a chance.

But no, Sarah was not a fool. Small things began to come to her attention, even in high school. Her stepmother would complain that her school project had left glitter in the carpet, though she hadn't used any. Toby would sometimes say something about an owl in his room, or goblins, or bubbles that were just like magic.

She understood what all of it meant, though no one else did save perhaps Toby. The goblins were more understandable- Sarah had the power to wish upon the goblins, so it seemed logical that some would always be around. Since her brother knew them, they would have no problem with being his playmates. They loved to play. The owl and bubbles Toby mentioned, and the glitter in her room, were the elements that gave her pause.

Each suggested the presence of the Goblin King. Sarah refused to believe it at first, could not accept that he would continue to be a presence in her life after what happened. However, the incidents continued. Eventually her stepmother gave up, saying there was more glitter in her room than carpeting. Toby stopped telling his parents about the goblins and bubbles, but he told her, with the air of one who shared a secret. She suspected he recalled what had happened when she wished him away, but she didn't ask. If he wanted to talk about it, Sarah decided she would tell him everything, but she saw no reason to discuss it before then.

She knew he had been in her house, but it wasn't until she began to note the timing of the glitter that always marked his presence coincided with good things in her life that her vague ideas began to take form. She even asked Hoggle once, wanting to know if the King had been interfering with her life, but he seemed uncomfortable. She let it go. If it was Jareth, he would in the end let her know his purpose, and there was no point in turning away from the gifts she was receiving.

However, there was one aspect in her life that seemed the exact opposite of perfect. Since she was fifteen, any guy she was even remotely interested in, or who was interested in her, had abruptly left with a variety of excuses. Some came down ill, others would randomly be reassigned to the other side of the country. Most of the time, Sarah didn't mind, but it had become more and more annoying as time wore on.

The Goblin King was behind it, she _knew_ he was. One, who had seemed to go quite mad, had babbled something regarding crazed little monsters before his parents had committed him to the nearest insane asylum. Goblins, she assumed, perhaps with the little pink Nippers she had seen them carrying once in the Labyrinth.

But now, now Jareth had gone too far. Before, she had forgiven him easily enough- the men she had been thinking of dating had proven to be jerks, or not at all a type that would agree with her. But today, no. She had finally met a great guy that she liked, and he liked her too. His name was Greg, and he was handsome and smart and caring, and he loved fantasy, which to her was a huge thing.

It appeared, though, that the Goblin King had not been pleased with this. Every day, Greg came to rehearsal looking as though he hadn't slept at all, and he avoided her as much as he could, even when they were supposed to be sharing a stage.

She growled and hurled a pillow at the wall. It didn't matter that she was twenty-five years old and, most of the time, a mature adult. She was highly annoyed, and more than ready to go a few rounds with the Fae King in question.

"I wish the Goblin King would be here, right now!" she snapped. She then took a step back, waiting for the normal melodramatics of lightning, loss of power, and a shower of glitter. The display would give her a chance to order her thoughts so she would be primed for the fight.

He seemed determined not to oblige her. A matter of seconds later, he appeared silently, but oh so close. There could not have been more than a scant handful of inches between their bodies, and he was wearing one of his classical wicked smirks.

"You bellowed, precious?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Goblin King…"

He cut her off rather suddenly, swooping in those last few inches to be flush against her, lowering his mouth to hers and devouring it. She gasped under the tender assault, but as she began to return the gesture, Jareth stepped back once more.

"You were saying?"

She blinked a few times before scrambling backward. He took another step in her direction, but she pointed at him. "You stay where you are!"

"Oh, come now, precious," he laughed, "surely that isn't the best you can come up with after summoning me?"

"I- um… Damn it, why did you have to go and do that?"

"Do what, precisely?" Jareth asked in an innocent tone. "I cannot think of a single action that you would find offensive."

"You stole my brother!" she shouted.

He rolled his eyes. "I was referring to the time since I arrived. And before you attempt to further flay me for that, no, I did not _steal_ your brother. To my knowledge, it is not considered stealing to take what is offered."

"But- but- I didn't mean it!"

"Precious, if you only brought me here to repeat something that was said ten years ago, I am afraid I am far and away too busy at home to oblige you at the moment."

She struggled to rein in her wayward thoughts and took a few deep breaths. "No, that's not why I brought you here. I wanted to talk to you about things that have happened since I beat your little Labyrinth."

"Little?" he repeated scathingly. "Little. I will also add that if you desire to slander anything I hold dear, I will be away in a moment."

She growled again, and he smiled thinly in response. "That's not why either, and if you'd stop trying to distract me, I would already have said why. I want to know what you're doing, constantly pushing men away from me."

"Have I done such a thing?" he mused, tapping his riding crop (which Sarah had just realized he was holding) against his leg. "I daresay I cannot recall."

"Can't you?" she muttered. "I'm not that dense, Goblin King. The glitter, the goblins, the mysteriously good luck I've had- the fact that one of the men that I had been interested in seemed quite insane, yet spoke very rationally about goblins tormenting him. Today was just the last straw."

Finally, he moved away, taking a seat in front of the window. Night was just beginning to fall, and the beautiful sunset left him a dazzling silhouette. He was dressed rather casually, for him, she noted. His typical skintight grey breeches, a loose white poet's shirt with a black vest. He seemed to be thinking quietly for a moment.

"You wish to know why," he said finally. A statement, not a question. "I am afraid that is a question I cannot easily answer."

"You're not denying it being your work, though," Sarah observed.

"As you said, precious, you are not that dense, and I will admit I was careless enough to leave evidence behind. I had not thought you would call me, however, and I am afraid I have no explanation to give you. None that you would believe."

"Is this some sort of revenge for what I did all those years ago? For winning?"

He laughed sardonically. "Nothing of the sort. While I cannot claim to be a gracious loser, I would not seek vengeance for what occurred. I admire you far too much, for you are the first I have seen with the determination and love necessary to triumph over my Labyrinth and set right their mistakes."

"Then why can't you tell me?" she demanded.

He leaned forward, tapping his fingertips together through the fabric of his black gloves. "Words have power, but still you would doubt me. Simply telling you would not be enough to convince you of the truth, if only because you still see me as only the Goblin King that took your baby brother oh so long ago. You must see me, all of me, for my words to do any good."

She thought it over, turning his words in her mind. He had never lied to her, no, but he could be cunning and tricky. She would not take him at his word on this easily. "How do I do that?"

He rose and extended one hand in her direction. She only stared at it warily. "No trap, Sarah. Just an invitation. If you are willing to learn, there is only one place you can do so."

"The Labyrinth," she guessed.

"The Labyrinth," he confirmed. "There, you discovered just how much you loved your brother, your family in general. You learned of the unfairness of life, and not to take things for granted. You have learned these things well, I am glad to say, save where I am concerned. You still take it for granted that I am a villain. Now you must learn once more, learn when to trust. There is no child to rescue, no time to race against."

She took his hand, almost against her will. "You promise?"

"I swear," he assured her, and then they were on the windswept hill that looked over the vastness of Jareth's domain. "It is an odd thing, for a wisher to return here a second time. It has occurred, once or twice, a runner who did not take their lessons to heart and foolishly made the same wish again, even when they failed the first time. When you stood here the first time, you were scared, were you not? Yet you were excited as well."

She nodded as she stared out over the great maze, entranced. "Fear and excitement can go hand in hand. I was frightened by the mistake I had made, frightened for my sake and for Toby's. Yet it was the adventure I had always craved. I was walking in a story, physically, in a world that I had only read about before."

"Ah, yes, the book." She turned, and he was cradling the slim red bound volume in his hands. "A dangerous item, yet one that had to exist if my world were to continue."

"I don't understand."

"The magical realm falters as belief in such thing fails. This book, and some others like it, are true magical items that can open gateways between the worlds for those willing to believe. By doing so, they will believe more fully, and there will be that much more support for those of us that inhabit this world," he explained calmly. He returned his gaze to the small book. "It is a strange thing, to know an item so small can hold the fate of an entire world in its pages. There are other items, not always books, which hold links to other kingdoms. However, this story is the only one to sustain the Goblin Kingdom."

"So the fate of everything here- the Labyrinth, my friends- is in that little book?" she asked quietly. He nodded, and she turned to stare out once more. "Now what? You brought me here, but what is the next step?"

"Now?" he repeated. He was hovering at her shoulder, the same way he had when she had first arrived so long ago. "There is no set path now, Sarah. As I have said, there is no time limit, no child. Go where you will, speak to whom you will. When you are ready, find me."

"How will I know?"

He smiled again, but he looked so tired, she realized. As tired as he had in the Escher Room as he struggled to stop her. _You starve and near exhaust me._ "You will, precious thing. When you are ready, you will know."

With that, he was gone, only faint swirls of glitter in the breeze marking his passage. She continued to examine the Labyrinth. It was peaceful now, she decided. There was no hectic activity, no runner to waylay. All that occurred was the simple things, day to day living. Finally, she began to descend from her lofty perch, making her way to the walls of the giant living maze.

It spoke to her, though at first it shocked her immensely. **Welcome back, Lady of the Labyrinth.**

She spun, searching her surroundings for a speaker, any speaker, but she found none. "Who said that?"

The voice, when it came again, was gentle and calm. **Do not take things for granted, Lady Sarah. You just thought, moments ago, that this was a living maze. Does it surprise you, knowing now that it is true?**

She paused. "No," she answered truthfully. "I never realized you could talk, though. And what do you mean, 'Lady of the Labyrinth'?"

**That is one of the things that will become clear with time,** the Labyrinth said simply. **Do not fret over it, Lady Sarah. Go, find your friends, find the answers you need. As King Jareth said, there is no hurry. Simply open your mind and your heart, and be willing to listen and learn.**

Sarah nodded and began on her way again. The Labyrinth revealed its gates immediately, but her interest was more focused on the little dwarf relieving himself in the pool nearby. She practically flew across the remaining distance as she called his name, waiting for him to realize she was there.

"Sarah?" Hoggle asked suspiciously. "How did you gets here?"

She shrugged. "I called the Goblin King, and he brought me. He said there were still things for me to learn here."

"Didja wish someone away again?" he demanded.

She laughed, shaking her head. "No, of course not. Making that mistake once was enough. This is strictly a social call. Jareth- the King said I could go wherever I like, do whatever I like."

The dwarf eyed her beadily. She looked rather similar to the girl she had been ten years ago, he decided, though obviously grown up. She was even dressed in practically the same clothing. "What's he up to?"

Her lips twitched, but she managed to suppress the laughter that was rising in her throat. Hoggle was such a cynic. Even worse than her. "Nothing, as far as I can tell. I want to see the Labyrinth again. Will you come with me?"

He glanced at the gates and back again. "I ain't going in there again. No how, no way."

"Hoggle," she wheedled. "Please? I'm sure it'll be perfectly safe. After all, there's no reason for it to be dangerous if there's no runner, is there? Besides, I want you to tell me about this place."

Her beseeching look succeeded, as usual. "Oh, all right. Don't say I didn't warn ya."

The gates opened as the pair approached. "Can you show me parts of this that I didn't see last time?" she asked.

"Sure," he said gruffly. "Come on, then. So whatcha wanna know?"

"Everything!" she replied immediately. "Who built this place? Where did the goblins come from? What-"

"Okay, okay!" he yelled, cutting her off. "One question at a time, Sarah. That rat Jareth built this place. The Labyrinth was his pet project, short after he became king."

"Who was king before him?"

"Tons o' guys. The Goblin Kingdom's not a popular one. They came and went every few years or so. Couldn't handle it. No one wanted the job after the last king, 'cept for Jareth."

"So he got the job?" she pressed when he fell silent.

"Yeah, he got the job. Some say he's only here as a favor for his da, but I know otherwise. He volunteered. He woulda come sooner, but his father thought he was too young ta be king yet. When no one else would do it, there was no choice."

"Jareth's father?"

Hoggle nodded. "Yeah, his father. Jareth's da is the High King, Oberon. Ye should know him from Aboveground stuff. He's crown prince, heir to the throne an' all that. Most don't understand why he's here, but he likes it well enough."

"So why did he make the Labyrinth?"

He sighed at her boatload of questions, directing her through one of the hidden openings in the long wall. They emerged into a large, flower-strewn field. There were a lot of fairies, so they kept as far from the little biters as they could.

"Says it's fer the runners. Wishing away kids don't matter much if ye can just get 'em back easy as can be. He's got a point, though ye'd never catch me admitting it ta him. Took ages, it did, near a century. Jareth's got him a right devious mind- even the Fae'd have a tough time here. Took his da days ta make it through. Normal mazes, they're no challenge for a Fae, so he gave the Labyrinth a life o' its own. 'S what makes it so tough, ya know?"

"It sounds a little unfair for human runners," Sarah observed.

Hoggle shrugged. "That's what the rest o' us are here for, o' course. Ta give hints and aid, if a runner's smart enough ta look for it. Still, most won't make it ta the oubliette. Ye were the first in a thousand years, and the only winner. Most don't want their wished-away enough ta make it. Sad, but they'll have good lives here."

"What happens to the children?"

"When their runner loses, or don't go at all? The kids are given ta families that can't have their own. Sometimes, if the kid has something particular nasty in their past, Jareth'll turn them to a goblin." She must've made a face, she realized, because he hastened to elaborate. "It's better for 'em, Sarah. Goblins may be a stupid bunch, but they're happy, and he takes good care of 'em."

"What about Toby? What would have happened if I-" her throat was abruptly dry. "What would have happened if I had lost him?"

"Toby's a right lucky one, little missy. Jareth meant to keep him- he'd never lost before, see, so he didn't realize he was about ta. Since Jareth's High Prince, he can't be Goblin King forever. He wanted Toby ta take over when 'e had to go."

Now they were standing on a cliff, looking out over what appeared to be a miniature ocean within the Labyrinth itself. Sarah had no idea how it fit inside the walls. "This place is beautiful. I mean, I've always known that, but this is amazing."

The dwarf nodded. "This here is one of them places runners won't generally see. No one comes this way, not in all the thousands o' years the Labyrinth's existed. That rat Jareth loves coming here, from time ta time."

She considered. "Is Jareth a good king, Hoggle?"

"Yeah," he replied gruffly. "Nothing I would say ta him, ye know, but 'e is. He knows how ta get the goblins ta listen ta him, which is hard enough, but they genuinely like him. Ye gotta be a pretty flexible guy ta deal with 'em. Luckily, they respond well ta him, since 'e can be hard when he has ta, but he can be fun too. I may not like the King, but I respect 'im, which is more than I can say for the others before 'im."

She didn't speak for a while, taking in everything she'd learned. By the time they reached the water's shores, though, she had more questions ready. "If I asked you what I asked him, would you know the answer?"

"Depends, don't it," he answered. "Need ta know the question and all that."

She took a seat in the soft sand, running her fingers through the cool water. "Do you remember when I asked you, all those years ago, if Jareth had been interfering in my life?"

"Yeah." He sat himself down in the sand nearby and began examining his sack of jewels. Sarah noticed her bracelet was still around his wrist. "What about it?"

"Well, he was," she admitted. "That was part of what I summoned him about. What I really wanted to know, though, was why I couldn't seem to be around a guy for more than a minute without him suddenly acting as though I had the plague. Jareth didn't deny it, but he said he couldn't explain why. That's why he brought me here. He said I needed to learn some things before I was ready to know the answer."

He nodded sagely. "Not such a hard thing ta know, really. Didn't ye pay any attention ta the things he said while ye were here the first time?"

"Not really," she frowned. "I was mostly focused on Toby, and on getting home. Why?"

He sighed. "Ye read that book a million times, girly. Ye should know already, but since ye don't, I'll explain.

"Jareth's lonely, Sarah. Being the High Prince ain't all that. Most women only want him for his title- he's had some say they'll marry him, but only if he gives up the Goblin Kingdom. He doesn't want that, won't give up that easy. He loves this place, and what it means. Here, we don't care if he's High Prince- Fae titles don't count for much in the Goblin Kingdom. He enjoys not being focused on for that, and 'e doesn't much like politics. However, most Fae won't come here. They hate this place, and the High Court, which visits all kingdoms now 'n again, came here only once since Jareth's been King.

"He knows it, knows why, but it don't change much. He's the only one of his kind here. Sure, he'll visit other kingdoms from time ta time, ta have some company, but he always comes home to a castle filled only with goblins. Ye're the one person Jareth really cares about, outside his family. Do ye know how many times his da's offered him a different kingdom, a better one? He won't take 'em. He stays here because it is the Goblin Kingdom that's got the most contact with ye and yer world. That's why he chases any other guy 'way from ye. He's only got you, and he won't share."

She leaned back, not caring that the sand would be stuck in her hair for a long time if she did. "Why would he care for me so much? I'm just an ordinary girl."

Hoggle snorted. "Do ye really believe that, girly? Jareth's magic can only do so much, ye know. Ye would never have gotten as far as ye have without real skill, e'en with his influencing things. After what happened last time, he thought he'd never see ye again, so he wanted ye to be happy in your world."

"Did he think I would be happy if I were alone?"

"No," he admitted. "He knows ye need someone else, but that was one thing 'e couldn't give ye. He wants ye ta want 'im, Sarah. He thinks it's impossible, but ye must know by now how much 'e watches ye. He couldn't bear ta see ye with someone else. Is that the answer ye've been looking for?"

"He kissed me," she said slowly. "When he first appeared, he kissed me. Why would he do that if he's given up?"

"He's a smart one, thinks on his feet. It was a way to show how he felt without risking so much a rejection as before." Hoggle eyed his friend tiredly. "Ye hurt 'im pretty badly. He was in awful shape after ye left."

"I know," she muttered guiltily. "I think I knew then too, but I was so focused on Toby. I didn't know that he would have been all right."

"If 'e had told ye, would you have been strong enough ta beat the Labyrinth?" the dwarf questioned. "Even at its worst?"

She considered, idly pushing her long hair out of her eyes. "I don't know. Maybe. But the book said he'd make the baby 'one of us'. I thought it meant they were turned to goblins. I didn't want that for my brother."

Hoggle let her sit quietly for a few moments before saying anything else. "That answer yer question, then? Or is there still more for ye ta learn afore ye go looking for 'im?"

"Maybe, but I think there's more. I need to talk to the others, possibly see some of the places so I'll look at what happened from the proper perspective. Can you take me to the tunnels?"

"With the False Alarms? Sure, I guess. Ain't too far from here."

"I thought that the runners didn't come this way very often," she said, confused.

"They don't. Labyrinth changes, remember? Ye need 'em nearby, they're nearby," he explained. "Labyrinth likes ye, so it's cooperating. Ye're taking too much for granted again."

She shrugged. It was true, after all. "Lead on, then."

They had already descended below the surface before he stopped suddenly and faced her. "Ye're already Queen here, ye know."

She froze. "I'm what?"

"Queen," he repeated. "Ye made yerself queen the instant ye declared yerself equal ta Jareth. That's why the Labyrinth'll talk ta ye. Goblins'll obey ye too, if ye care ta try."

She attempted to process the new information, but wasn't succeeding particularly well. "How can someone just make themselves queen?"

"I told ye," he sighed in exasperation, continuing along the tunnel. "When ye called yerself his equal, when ye defeated 'im, it became true. Ye should already know words have power."

"Right…" she said slowly. "I think I'll take your word for it. This is becoming a bit much to take in."

"Is it?"

Hoggle and Sarah, just turning the last corner, froze at the new voice. It was at once familiar yet foreign, and Sarah was of the opinion that it was very much like Jareth's own.

It took a moment, but Hoggle's eyes abruptly bugged out and he knelt in front of the tall Fae standing where Jareth once had, as he taunted Sarah. "Yer Majesty!"

"Hedgewart."

"Hoggle," Sarah corrected automatically. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

The Fae offered her a bemused smile. "My name is Oberon. I am Jareth's father."

Sarah's eyes went wide and her mouth formed a perfect 'O' in surprise. "Your Majesty."

She began to curtsey, but Oberon stopped her. "That isn't necessary. I'm not here as High King. I'm here as a father. Tatiana wanted to come as well, but one of us needed to remain with the Court. I've been waiting a long time to meet you, Lady Sarah."

She blushed. "Thank you, I think, though I'm not sure if you've heard anything good about me. Your son wasn't particularly pleased the last time we met."

Oberon laughed slightly. "Jareth was always a willful boy, and he is unaccustomed to losing. Personally, I think you did him a world of good. But no, Sarah, he has not spoken ill of you. Hoggle, would you be so kind as to alert my son to my presence? I'll want to speak with him once I've had my little chat with his charming lady."

"Yes, Yer Majesty," Hoggle said, bowing once more before trotting off down the passage.

The High King turned his attention to the young woman once more. "Jareth's work doesn't do you justice," he mused, pacing around her.

"His work?" she repeated. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"His art," the Fae explained. "Jareth is highly skilled in many forms, though oils are his preferred tool. He adores music as well. He's painted you many times over."

Sarah's brow furrowed as she took in his words. "Why would he want to paint me?"

"Dear me, are you still of the opinion you're nothing special? I had thought Hoggle would have explained by now."

"You do know his name," she accused. "Why didn't you use it?"

His lips twitched. "I'm afraid it is one of the hobbies Jareth and I share, purposely twisting a name to annoy others. A bad habit, yes, but it can be rather entertaining when ruling bores us for too long." He leaned back against a wall, giving Sarah her first full view of the High King.

He looked a good deal like his son, she decided, save with light brown hair in a simple style instead of Jareth's white blond extravagance. The eyes were the same color, but Oberon's matched where Jareth's did not. They were almost exactly the same in height and build, though Sarah would guess Jareth to be perhaps an inch taller and a tiny bit thinner. Oberon was dressed very informally, without crown or any other marking of rank.

"Are you quite done with your perusal?" he said drily, and she jumped.

"I'm sorry," she winced. "I didn't mean to stare."

He waved the apologies away. "Nothing to worry about, dear girl. I imagine it can be a tad unnerving to see someone you had only read of previously. Tell me, did you look at my son the same way, when he first appeared?"

She took a sudden interest in her moccasins and began examining them earnestly. "I, um…"

"Father," Jareth objected, striding into view. "Must you embarrass her so?"

"Jareth!" Oberon said warmly in greeting. "Oh, I wouldn't say I was attempting to embarrass the girl, precisely."

"What else could you possibly call it?" she muttered darkly, then flushed when both Fae sent her identical smirks.

Jareth chuckled. "Call it what you will, but she is here for a reason. We should allow her to continue her explorations. Come, join me in the castle."

"I had wanted to speak with her!" the High King protested as his son forcefully propelled him away. "She seems a delightful girl, if too easily embarrassed."

"Father," Jareth sighed. "As you just said, she has met someone that previously has only existed to her as words on a page, and you are teasing her. Anyone with sense would be embarrassed to some extent as well."

"Oh, very well," his father acquiesced. "However, I expect to be allowed to speak with her at length before the wedding."

"Wedding?" Sarah choked.

Jareth groaned and rejoined her for a moment. "Forgive my father. He is determined to see me marry soon, since he and my mother would like to pass the throne on. Given your rank in this kingdom, it seems inevitable to him. Rest assured, however, that I will not force you into anything you do not desire."

"So Hoggle was right? I'm the Queen?"

"Yes," he replied coolly. "Even if I were to leave, to take my place once more in the High Court, the Goblin Kingdom would fall to you unless I dictated otherwise. Succession here was a simple matter before the Labyrinth was built, but now it chooses its own leaders. While you live, it is unlikely to accept another."

She winced. "It's been causing you some problems, hasn't it?" 

"Perhaps a few. I enjoy this place, precious, more than I care for the High Court and its frivolities. However, I seem to be running out of time." He allowed one hand to stroke her hair gently, brushing away the sand, and she didn't move to stop him. "My father is waiting for me, Sarah, and still you have things to learn. Remember, find me when you are ready."

"I will," she promised. He took the few steps to rejoin the elder Fae and offered one soft smile before they vanished, leaving her once more. She turned, taking in the tunnels.

It had been here, she decided, that Jareth was something other than an enemy to her, even if she hadn't seen it. Yes, he had reacted with cruelty at one point, but she knew her folklore well. Fae were complicated, and cruelty was natural to them in many circumstances. Since his reappearance, though, he had been so very kind…

She traced her steps once more, finding the gate that had saved her from the cleaners, the ladder into the hedge maze. She took it once again, noticing it now stood in good repair where previously it had been old and rickety. The top had been left off the pottery urn at the top, so she climbed out unimpeded.

She stood in the center of the courtyard for several minutes, staring toward the castle, taking in the beauty of this world. Twilight had fallen, but the stones of the Labyrinth glowed faintly, providing enough light to allow her to see. She was beginning to consider moving on when the Wiseman shuffled into the area, settling himself on his chair of carved books.

"Hello!" she greeted enthusiastically. "It's nice to see you again."

"What's this?" he mumbled. "Oh, the Lady!"

The Hat laughed. "Sharp as ever!"

"Be quiet!" the old goblin snapped. Once the Hat shut its beak, he stared at her. "What brings you here, Lady?"

"I'm looking for answers. Once you told me the way forward is the way back. So I came back, but I still don't know how to move forward. Can you help?"

He was already asleep. The Hat looked down at its wearer before glancing back up at her. "He's a fat lot of help, isn't he?"

Her lips twitched. "Sometimes. Do you know?"

The Hat shook its head. "Do what the King told you, I guess," it suggested. "He generally knows better than this lump."

"Do I owe you anything for the advice?" she asked, ready to move on.

"No," it answered. "You're Queen, right? Oh, nuts. Wasn't supposed to mention that."

Sarah laughed. "That's quite all right. I've already been told. Thank you."

"_De nada, se__ñ__orita!_"

The hedge maze was quiet. No goblins could be heard tormenting Ludo with their odd weapons. Sarah wondered if she'd find Ludo himself nearby. She thought she would, since everyone else had been where she had seen them before. Sure enough, after turning a few more corners, she saw him ambling in the opposite direction.

"Ludo!" she called. "Ludo!"

The great yeti turned slowly. "Sawah? Sawah friend!"

She embraced him immediately. "Yes, of course I'm your friend! It's great to see you again, Ludo. How are you?"

"Ludo good. Sawah?"

"I'm fine," she assured him.

"Why Sawah here?" he asked ponderously.

Sarah considered how to best explain things to her simple friend. "I'm here to talk to the King."

"King? Sawah King no friends."

"We're trying," she said carefully. "He wanted to talk to me. He let me come see you."

"King friend now?"

"Maybe. Do you want to come see Sir Didymus and Ambrosious with me?"

He nodded. "Go see brother."

The Labyrinth conveniently formed a path straight to Sir Didymus. Fortunately, he was away from the Bog of Eternal Stench. Sarah doubted there was anything in the entire Labyrinth she had hated quite as much as that, and she didn't particularly want to go back. She had nearly fallen in, too.

The little knight kept a neat cottage just beyond the bog itself, and that was where the friends found him. Ambrosious was lying asleep in a patch of clover while Sir Didymus performed a series of stretches and lunges nearby.

"Sir Didymus!"

He glanced up, nose twitching. "Sir Ludo! Lady Sarah! How art thou? What brings you here, milady?"

She hugged him warmly, pleased beyond words to be seeing the valiant fox once more. The mirror was nice, but it lacked the comfort of truly being face to face with her dear friends. "I'm fine. I came for a visit, and to talk to your king."

"The King?" he repeated, curious. "I was under the impression that milady and King Jareth did not part on the best of terms. Might I be of any assistance?"

"It's all right," Sarah reassured him. "We're not fighting or anything. He said I could wander around and visit anyone, and then we would talk. There's no trouble."

"Are you quite certain?" the knight pressed. "I will surely aid milady regardless of the peril."

"No trouble," she repeated, laughing. "I swear. We just need to talk. Can you tell me anything about your king? Hoggle told me some."

Sir Didymus seated himself in the clover beside Ambrosious. Sarah and Ludo did the same. "I am certain Sir Hoggle has told you the story of our glorious leader. He has brought order to these lands, milady, though with difficulty. The Goblin Kingdom is closer to the mortal realms than any other, which creates many problems. Mortals wish children away even without the Book. The King frequently has to end unauthorized excursions Above. Only those with special permission are granted access. It is a wearying task, no doubt, and King Jareth is the only being in this realm with the power to control it. I know little beside that, save the King is unfailingly generous in providing for his people."

_I have been generous, till now, but I can be cruel…_

And she had asked what he had done that was generous. Looking back, Sarah wanted to take the words back. He had unerringly protected her when she had been in any danger. What real peril had she encountered in the Labyrinth? Even then, he had been doing anything within his power to make things go well for her. Had he wanted her to win?

"Did Jareth want me to win?" she asked finally. "Please, Sir Didymus, I need to know. Did he let me?"

The fox considered. "To my knowledge, my liege did not allow your success, though he did desire it greatly. Only one who was equal to him could have conquered the maze, regardless of his wishes. Surely milady is aware that our good king has watched you for a very long while. He wanted you to be the one that succeeded where all others failed."

"I thought he was trying to make me lose," she admitted. "With the peach and his offer in the Escher room. I truly believed he was just trying to trick me."

"Nay," Sir Didymus disagreed. "Those things are sacred in this world. The King would not make an offer lightly. Milady has also partaken of faerie food. There is a bond betwixt yourself and this world. To my mind, it is inevitable that you would one day have returned. Might I enquire as to the reason of your appearance this fine evening?"

"The Goblin King has been interfering with my life," Sarah explained. "I wanted to know why. He said there were things I needed to learn before he could tell me."

"Have you learned what you needed to know?"

She thought carefully, turning words over and over in her mind. "I think… yes, I think so. I need to find him."

Sir Didymus gestured behind him as a path formed to the castle. "Then go, milady. I would offer my company, yet I believe this is something best left betwixt yourself and His Majesty. Fare thee well."

Sarah walked the path with confusion roaring through her. So many things she had learned conflicted with the views she had held since she was a mere fifteen year old girl. Jareth was a kind, caring king, and the only one that had been willing to care for the goblins. Was he cruel? Yes. He had admitted as much. One could not master a difficult land without that ability, but wasn't she cruel as well? She had spurned his honest words and not cared for his generosity. Could she really condemn him for a trait they shared?

The Labyrinth seemed to brood in the back of her mind until finally breaking its silence. **Do you understand yet?**

She nodded absently. "I think I do, but I still need to talk with Jareth. Labyrinth? How is Jareth, really? Not how he seems to others. What is he really like?"

**Jareth is my creator, so I will always care for him. He is a good person, though he does not always display it. He is… lonely. Very lonely. He has lacked companionship for a long time. **

Sarah stared up at the castle. "Poor Jareth… How does he bear it?"

**I believe he focuses on his work. This kingdom has prospered with his attentions. It is not enough, but it is what he has.**

"Thank you," she sighed. "I need to talk with him. Will you let me leave if I decide that's what I need to do?"

The Labyrinth hesitated. **If you must… I cannot like it, but I will not force you to stay. You are the Goblin Queen, however. If Jareth should leave, you must take up that responsibility.**

"I understand. I appreciate what you've told me. Jareth doesn't have long before he has to return to the High Court, does he?"

**I do not believe so. King Oberon and Queen Tatiana grow weary of ruling, and so the burden falls to Jareth. Even if you should leave, it could not be for long. **

The Labyrinth's voice faded from Sarah's mind as she entered the Goblin City. There were goblins all over, and stalls surrounded the central plaza. She assumed it was market day.

She reached out and stopped one. "Excuse me, but could you please tell me what's going on?"

It stared at her suspiciously. "You's the lady. You shoulds knows."

"However, I am afraid she is unaware," Jareth said, striding forward. "Tell Lady Sarah, Twitch."

"Twig," it muttered. "It be market time, Lady. We's getting foods and stuffs. We does this every week, we does."

Sarah's lips twitched as it ran off. "Must you purposefully get their names wrong?"

"Perhaps," he admitted with a toothy smirk. "It is rather entertaining, after all. I take it, judging by your presence here, that you were coming to speak with me."

She nodded. "Is there anywhere more private?"

Jareth considered. "The throne room is, unfortunately, strewn with drunken goblins. Perhaps a study or the library would do?"

"Library?" she repeated, curious. "You have a library?"

He laughed. "Indeed. I cannot pass all my time with my subjects, and I find reading a wonderful way to pass the rare hours in which I have no work that demands my attention. Do you wish to see it?" He extended one hand to her.

She took it without a question. "That would be wonderful."

A blink of the eye took them from the crowded city to a vast room. It was dusty, she realized, but obviously someone had cared enough to amass the huge number of books she could see. Shelves rose to the ceiling more than fifty feet above her head, and numerous armchairs and sofas filled the space in the center. Several balconies ringed the room to make the volumes more accessible.

By the time she finished gawking, Jareth had already flung himself carelessly into one of the chairs. One leg hung over the armrest while the other foot was on the floor, and he was tapping his boot with a riding crop once more. Blushing, she took a seat on the sofa opposite him.

"I believe you had questions," he suggested. "By all means, ask away."

"My original question was already answered," she said quietly. "I guess all there is left is to find out what comes next."

His mismatched eyes locked intensely on her. "I love you. No doubt this has become clear during your excursion. However, what comes next is not my decision to make, is it, precious?"

She purposefully looked away, staring out the window at the star strewn sky. "I guess not, but I don't know. What do you want?"

He gave a faint smile. "What I want should be quite apparent, Sarah. There is nothing I desire more than to have you by my side, forever, as my queen and wife." He held up his hands as she began to say something. "Not so quickly, precious thing. I was not proposing just yet. There is a warning as well."

"A warning?"

"I believe my subjects have mentioned that the Goblin Kingdom will not belong to me much longer. However, to take my father's place, I must be wed. I am running out of time. Until today, I did not believe you would summon me again, and had so resigned myself to a political marriage."

"That's terrible," she murmured. Her heart ached for him. "How can you do that? How can you marry someone you do not love? What would happen here?"

"I do not desire to marry someone I do not love. However, I have no choice. Though my father rarely exercises his power, he has ordered that I wed, and I must obey. The Labyrinth, and the rest of the kingdom, would fall to you."

"I don't know how to rule," Sarah said.

"Would you prefer the goblins to fall under the control of one that neither understands nor cares? The Labyrinth has declared you its queen, and will not wish to accept another," Jareth explained. "You have bound yourself to my world, Sarah, but I will not force you to be bound to me."

"Force?" she repeated.

He nodded. "By the laws of the Fae, I could. The Goblin Queen is supposed to be the mate of the King. You ate my peach. You danced with me. You are the only one who is equal to me. I will not do so. If you decide of your own free will, so be it. Stay or leave as you choose."

Silence reigned for several minutes as Sarah attempted to understand. Finally… "How long?"

"How long?" Jareth repeated.

"How long until I have to decide?' she asked. "You can't expect an answer this second."

He laughed softly. "No, I suppose I cannot. My engagement is to be announced in thirteen days. You will have until then to reach a conclusion. Would you prefer to remain here, or shall I return you to your mortal home?"

"I want to go back until I decide, but I have one more question. What happens if I decide not to marry you?"

He closed his eyes. "Should that be your choice, I will not influence your life again, nor have contact with you. I will also press the Labyrinth to accept another ruler. You would have no contact with the Underground again, for though I will not love my wife I will not force her to endure the presence of another woman."

She nodded. "Send me back."

A moment later, she was where she had been when he first appeared. Her head spun still with the many things she had learned. She sank to the floor as tears welled up. Thirteen days to decide between returning to the Underground and marrying him, or staying Above and losing magic altogether. She pressed her face to her knees and wept.

88888888

Sarah allowed several days to simply not think of it, to attempt to push the decision from her mind. She needed to clear her head, but the mortal world had never seemed so mundane. Even her acting did not give her any satisfaction. Frustrated, she chose not to accept a part in the upcoming performance, telling her manager that she needed some time with her family. He understood, and she drove to Massachusetts, to the house she had grown up in. Eight days had passed.

Toby barreled into her when she arrived, as always, chattering excitedly. Her father and stepmother greeted her warmly, and Irene added that dinner wouldn't be long if she was hungry. She was, so she joined them for a fresh meal. The homemade lasagna comforted her more than anything she could prepare had.

Her family was so happy to see her… could she leave them? She had given everything up to save Toby. How could she abandon him now?

Slowly, Sarah trudged upstairs and sprawled across the bed in her still-childish room. Toby dashed in not much later.

"How was it?"

She sat up and stared at him. "What?"

"The Labyrinth. Did you have fun?" her little brother asked curiously.

Her mouth opened and closed several times before words came. "How- how did you know where I was?" she squeaked.

He gestured at the mirror behind them. "Hoggle told me. So how was it?"

She shook her head, attempting to reorganize her thoughts. "I learned a lot."

"What are you going to pick?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed to slits. "Just how much did Hoggle tell you?"

"Everything," Toby said with a shrug. "By the way, thanks for coming after me even though I drove you crazy. Are you going to marry Jareth?"

She resigned herself to the conversation. "I don't know," she sighed. "How can I leave you?"

He stared at her, confused. "I'm only a mirror away. Really, Sar, it's not as if you would never see me. Jareth already promised I could come back to the Underground if I wanted."

"Toby!" she protested. "Would you really leave your entire world?"

He shrugged. "I don't belong here. There's no magic. Don't you feel the same way? This world doesn't feel right. The Underground has a way of getting to you, I guess. After we'd seen it, was there ever a chance of really wanting to stay? What would I do here? I can't pretend not to believe in magic, and our world doesn't understand that."

She frowned and nodded. "I know. But what about Dad and Irene? Would you be okay with leaving?"

"We don't have to stay Underground all the time, Sar. I'll come visit them, just like you do from New York. Have you even heard from your mom recently?"

"Not really," she admitted. "She's always so busy she wouldn't notice if I left New York."

"Then why stay? You're not happy here. You only act because it's a way to pretend there's still magic in your life. You know you want to go back. I will, but I'll wait till I'm older. Maybe someday we can tell Mom and Dad but you should go before it's too late."

Sarah yawned. "It's late, Tobes, and I'm tired. Can I be alone to think? You need to get to bed too."

Toby shrugged. "Good night, Sarah."

He left quietly enough, and she considered briefly just how mature he was for an eleven year old. Thoughts of the Underground pounded into her and she groaned, falling back against her pillows.

"How can I decide?" she asked the air.

What did she have her? Her career. Her family. An apartment she didn't care about. No other people.

There? A world she adored. Her best friends. Adventure. Magic. _Him_.

It should be an easy decision, she thought, annoyed. There shouldn't be a question.

Images of Jareth paraded through her exhausted mind. The crystal ballroom. The tunnels. Her parents' bedroom. The hill before the Labyrinth. The Escher room, as the world fell down. Reappearing in her life. The tunnels again with his father. The Goblin City. The library. Sarah realized she could still see with perfect clarity every moment they had spent together.

Could she give that up? Not only him, but his entire world. She had been drawn from the first moment her fingers touched the book. But still… _him_. He loved her, and she had already destroyed him once when he had given her everything. Generous. He had always been generous with her. Could she repay him with cruelty once again?

So many questions, she groused. She had no idea what the answers were. Was there a way to know? She stared at the mirror she had used to contact her friends a thousand times, oh so tempted to call them, but she didn't. They couldn't help her with this.

A crystal, seemingly innocent, lay on the vanity table before the mirror. _It's a crystal, nothing more, but if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams._ What were her dreams? A note lay underneath.

_Precious,_

_ I know you are having a difficult time with your choice. Perhaps this will be of some assistance. I'm sure you recall how it works. And no, I have neither looked at nor changed your dreams in any way. Whatever you see shall be purely yours to know._

_ Jareth_

Sarah read the note several times before she reached to touch the crystal. It looked so ethereal, more like a soap bubble than a solid orb. She rested her fingertips against the cool surface, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did, so she lifted it carefully and held it at eye level. She rotated it slowly and images began to blossom within its depths.

It was the crystal ballroom, and she and Jareth were dancing at the center. The leering audience that had been there before was gone, though by their expressions they hadn't noticed. They were too caught up in their dance. Each seemed to be happy beyond belief.

Another picture formed. Sarah and Jareth were in a café Above, arguing animatedly about something foolish, laughing all the while. Toby appeared with his parents and they greeted Jareth like an old friend.

Another turn. Another dream. Jareth and Sarah stood on a balcony gazing out over the Labyrinth. They held court over the goblins. They had a picnic in the park. A walk on the beach. Reading together. A unicorn ride. Sitting together in front of a fire. Joining a faerie ring. Flying in the Underground. Sometimes there were others, but Jareth was always there. Aboveground, Underground, it didn't matter. It was always him. She wiped away the tears she couldn't remember crying.

Could she _really_ live without her family? She didn't have to, Toby said. She could visit, and when Toby was ready to go to the Underground they could tell their parents the truth. Could she live without _him_? No, her heart cried. No, no, no. Too much time had passed already. She couldn't stand the thought of a life without him any longer.

And that was it. He mattered more than the world she had been born in. He loved her, and she… she had been in love with him her entire life. First the Goblin King of the book, then the real thing. She loved him. She could barely believe it, but she loved him.

"Jareth?" she said slowly, then more confidently. "Jareth?"

"Yes, precious?"

Sarah twisted to see him seated on the edge of her bed. He looked exactly the same as he had eight days ago. His white shirt, the black vest, the grey breeches, the tall black boots. She loved it. She loved him.

She threw herself against him as his arms surrounded her automatically. "I love you I love you I love you! Can we go home?"

His grip tightened. "Are you being completely honest, precious thing? If I take you with me, I shall never allow you to leave me again."

A thought occurred to her. "But you'll stay young as I get old…"

Jareth chuckled against her hair. "No, Sarah. You will not. Humans are not suited to my world, so they will adapt. You will become a Fae, as I am. You will not age."

"What now?"

"You have a few days still if you need to set things in order here. I must return and keep my parents from announcing anything until you are ready," he explained.

She tipped her head up so she could see his face. He looked so happy… When she had summoned him just over a week ago, he had seemed so defeated. He had kissed her as if he thought it would be the last time he saw her. She took his face between her hands and pressed her lips to his in a slow, gentle caress.

"I love you," she murmured as she pulled back. "I'm sorry it took me so long to understand."

He ran his gloved hands through her thick hair. "And I love you as well. I should return, however."

She shook her head. "I don't need time. Just let me email my manager and leave a note for Toby." She pulled a slender laptop from her overnight bag and flipped it open.

_John- _

_ This will probably be a surprise, but I'm leaving. I guess my love of acting finally wore off. Sorry for being so unbearable lately. Could you have my things sent to my parents? Use my paycheck to cover the month's rent and send the rest to my parents too, but leave a note with it saying the money is to be spent on something for Toby. _

_ It's been great knowing you. Bye._

_ Sarah Williams_

_Toby-_

_ You were right, of course. I'm sorry I didn't stay to tell you myself, but once I realized I just couldn't stay. I'll try to contact you through the mirror as soon as I'm settled. You can have any of my stuff you want. Dad and Irene can sell the rest. I don't need it. I love you so much, and I'll miss you._

_ Sarah_

Jareth had waited somewhat impatiently, and breathed a sigh of relief as Sarah folded the paper and wrote Toby's name on the outside. "Do you have any belongings you wish to take?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I just want to go home, Jareth. I've been gone for so long. One day wasn't enough."

He winced as an unpleasant thought occurred to him. "Sarah, precious, I am afraid we still have something to take care of at home. My father sent my, ah, bride-to-be to the castle just the other day. No doubt she will create trouble when she realizes she is being replaced."

Sarah frowned. "How do we deal with her?"

Jareth gave a wolfish grin. "Correction, precious. How do _you_ deal with her?"

88888888

Sarah and Jareth materialized in his throne room, which Sarah realized was far cleaner than it had been during her previous visit. It was also devoid of goblins. She glanced at him curiously.

"The Lady Madeleine does not care for my subjects," the King explained drily. "She banished them from the castle."

Sarah examined her outfit critically. She had chosen to have Jareth change her clothing to something more suited. It seemed a variation on his formal armor, but while his was very male, hers made it amply clear she was a woman. It was an indigo and black gown with an armored bodice, and she also wore a miniaturized version of Jareth's amulet. There were no sleeves but she had a two inch thick chain mail cuff on each hand embedded with tiny crystals at regular intervals. Her dark hair had been pinned up elaborately, and she wore a long black cloak. Through a thigh high slit in the gown, the tall boots which hugged tightly to the curve in her leg could be seen.

"You look like a queen," he assured her as he sprawled on his throne. "Shall I summon the lady?"

"No need," she grinned. "This will be fun." She extended one hand and a delicate crystal orb formed in her palm. She threw it against the floor, and as it shattered, a lovely Fae woman appeared.

"Jareth, darling," Madeleine crooned as she brushed off her gown, not looking up, "I didn't expect to hear from you this evening."

"I'm not Jareth," Sarah said in a saccharine sweet tone. "It's lovely to meet you, Lady Madeleine."

The fine-boned blonde looked up finally, and her eyes narrowed when she saw the other woman. "And who might you be, dear lady, since you seem to know who I am?"

"It doesn't matter," she answered. "I'm just telling you to pack up and leave. You are no longer required."

Madeleine stared past Sarah at Jareth. "Darling, whatever is the meaning of this?"

"Don't call him that," Sarah snapped. "Get out. Now."

"Jareth?"

He lifted one brow as he rolled a crystal between his hands. "You heard the Queen."

"Queen? I'm afraid I don't understand," the Fae argued, delicately waving a silk fan. "Surely you cannot have married. We are betrothed."

Sarah laughed. "Do you really think so? Jareth has to marry me. Laws are laws, you know."

The blonde glared. "Who are you to give orders?"

"I?" she asked innocently. "I'm the Goblin Queen, the Lady of the Labyrinth. Jareth's fiancée. Now leave before I have you removed."

"Lady of the Labyrinth?" Madeleine repeated. "No one has held that title but one girl. You could not be her."

Sarah's smile widened. "Do you really think so?" She touched the amulet at her throat. "I was only fifteen years old when I bested the King at his own game. The only one that has ever won. My will is as strong as his, my kingdom is as great. I am the Goblin Queen, and you have no power here."

Madeleine vanished with a squawk of protest, and Jareth threw back his head and laughed. "This story will be all over the High Court by morning, though I cannot say I am sorry she is gone. She flatters my father and acts the angel in his presence, but is a true horror. I really should thank you for ridding me of her."

Sarah glared at him . "You could have helped, Goblin King. I felt like an idiot."

"But Sarah, you were doing so well," he said with a smirk. "What prompted you to use your right words? I recall a time when you could not seem to remember them."

She grinned faintly. "It seemed appropriate. I used those words to leave, so I used them to take my place back. How long will we have before this place is full of angry Fae protesting how I treated the little witch?"

"No doubt Madeleine's family will appear at dawn. My father should be arriving later that day, perhaps with the rest of the Court to properly welcome the Goblin Queen."

"Great," Sarah muttered. "A little human against the entire Court. That's not…"

"Fair? Precious thing, I should not be surprised if the Labyrinth deems it necessary to speed your transformation to Fae, though immortality will still take time. She understands how the Court can be, though she does not regularly care for _fairness_."

Sarah got a sense of the Labyrinth agreeing wordlessly. "How did I do magic so easily?"

He tapped his crop to his boot a few times. "You are Goblin Queen. While I do not think you would be able to do so elsewhere while human, you have power in this kingdom. Since your magic was not born with you, the Labyrinth gifted you with some instinctive control. That control will improve with the change, as will your abilities. However, I think we should consider retiring for the evening. Tomorrow will no doubt be an interesting day."

That made sense, and Sarah abruptly realized how exhausted she was. "Great idea. Where to, then?"

Jareth's lips twitched. "It would be unseemly to share quarters until we are wed. You may use the Queen's chamber, precious. I would keep you nearby during the transformation in the event of any difficulties."

She nodded. "Let's get some sleep then. I'm half dead here."

He rose and offered his arm, which she took without argument. A crystal crashed to the ground, taking them immediately to Sarah's room. She turned slowly, taking it in.

It was a large chamber, though that was hardly a surprise. She had half expected pink, but instead the décor was in silver and varying shades of green. Her eyes fell on the bed and she wavered on her feet. He chuckled softly.

"While I understand your weariness, precious, it would be best if you did not sleep in your formal regalia. The wardrobe will have things to your measure."

"Right," she murmured, opening the doors and pulling out a simple green nightgown. "Go away."

His laugh echoed through the spacious room as he vanished.

88888888

They weren't so lucky as to be left alone till dawn. Morning was no more than a mere suggestion when Jareth appeared at her bedside, shaking her awake.

"What?" she moaned. "It's too early. Leave me alone."

"Precious thing, as much as I would prefer not to wake you at such an unkind hour, you must get up. There seem to be several irate nobles in my throne room demanding our presence."

"No," she said grumpily, covering her head with a pillow. "Too early."

"Sarah, do not force me to set the goblins on you," Jareth frowned. "You cannot begin your first day as queen in such an undignified fashion."

Sarah muttered a number of unkind things under her breath as she emerged from her very warm and comfortable cocoon. "Fine. You win. I'm up."

"Thank you. There are a number of gowns hanging in your wardrobe. I shall wait in my chambers until you are properly attired."

Sarah formed a crystal and smashed it at her feet. "Done."

"Or you could simply use your magic," he drawled. "Does an early morning make you particularly lazy, precious?"

"You wanted me to hurry," she countered. "Now, is this good enough? Can we deal with the idiots so I can go back to sleep?"

"I shall have to remember that you can be in a very foul temper upon waking," he commented. "But yes, your garments are indeed suitable." He took her shoulders and examined her face carefully. "I see the Labyrinth did as I predicted."

**Of course, **she said smugly in the background.

"It suits you," he added.

Sarah wrinkled her nose. "What do you mean?"

"Look in the mirror, Sarah."

She turned to face the grand mirror and gasped. Gone were the human imperfections, the small things in her appearance she hadn't cared for. Instead, there were dark sweeps at the corners of her eyes just like Jareth's. Her hair, which had been styled by the same magic that had changed her clothing, was pulled back to reveal the newly pointed tips of her ears. When she opened her mouth, it was easy to see that her canines were more sharp than before.

"I'm a Fae," she murmured, staring at her reflection.

He smirked as he pressed a kiss to the back of her exposed neck. "It really does suit you very nicely, Sarah mine. You look beautiful."

"We look nice together," she added, though it hardly mattered. His fair hair contrasted nicely with her dark brown, and he decided that she was exactly the right height for him. In the heeled boots she was wearing, they were at eye level with one another.

Jareth offered her a crystal with a pointed smile. She took it, and it morphed to a delicate circlet. "For you."

"I already have the pendant," she remarked as he settled it in place.

"Maybe so," he replied, "but the pendant is a symbol of the Goblin Kingdom. This makes it clear that you will be the High Princess once we wed."

Sarah stared at them in the mirror again. "I always dreamt of being a princess."

"I know. Now you are a Queen."

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By midday, Sarah could tell that Jareth's patience was rapidly wearing thin. Madeleine's family was making a massive fuss, and Oberon had only appeared for a moment to greet Sarah officially.

"As the High Prince, you are duty bound to marry a Fae lady," Madeleine's father, Allan, argued.

"I am marrying a Fae lady," Jareth replied through gritted teeth. "Both the High King and the Labyrinth have approved of Lady Sarah. The matter is settled, and you would do well to remember your place."

A sense of strong magic rippled through the kingdom, and Sarah and Jareth both felt it. The Labyrinth told Sarah that it was a pending summons, and Jareth's temper grew further. Sarah winced; the poor wisher would be lucky not to run into the Bog or the cleaners straight away, with Jareth so riled. He would be very cruel. She laid a hand on his arm.

"I'll take care of it," she told him softly.

His eyes darted to her and back to the arrogant lord in front of him. "You have never done this before."

Sarah shrugged. "I remember how it goes. Get rid of the peanut gallery while I'm gone."

_"I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now!"_

Jareth sighed. "Go. We cannot have visitors in the Labyrinth during a run regardless."

She nodded and vanished, and he turned his glare back on the interloper.

**I don't like him,** the Labyrinth said mulishly. **Or his daughter.**

Jareth barely smothered an evil chuckle. _Don't worry; he'll be gone soon enough._ He certainly would not be informing Sarah of the method, however.

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Sarah had at least remembered to change to her Goblin Queen's regalia before she appeared in front of the wisher. She stood there, waiting, arms crossed. The storm tossed her cloak around her.

"Who are you?" the frightened young woman asked. The Labyrinth told her the woman's name was Anna, and that she had wished away her young daughter Lizzie. "Where is my little girl?"

"You know very well where she is," she replied, mimicking Jareth's disinterested attitude perfectly.

Anna's eyes darted around desperately. "You have her, don't you? Give her back, please!"

Sarah noticed a large bruise darkening her cheek and wondered if the child was in a similar state. "Anna, go on with your life. Forget about the baby."

"I can't!" the mother wailed. "Can't you please just bring her back?"

"I have brought you a gift," Sarah said dramatically, creating a crystal and holding it in front of the other's mesmerized eyes. "Do you want it? Then forget about the baby."

"But I have to have my daughter back!"

She sighed and stepped back, revealing the Labyrinth in the open window. "She's there, in the castle. Do you still want to look for her?"

And they were on the windswept hill under orange skies, staring down at the colossal maze.

"That's the place from the book, isn't it?" Anna whispered. Sarah looked between worlds and saw _Labyrinth_ lying on the child's bed. "That's the Labyrinth, and the Castle beyond the Goblin City."

"You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth," the Queen explained, "before your little girl is one of us, forever. Such a pity."

And she vanished, returning to the throne room, as the trembling woman began her first steps in a different world.

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Sarah nearly felt ready to collapse as she returned and glanced around automatically to ensure there were no overbearing lords shouting unreasonable things. To her joy, there were none. Instead, the goblins clambered over one another to reach the toddler in the center of the room while Jareth massaged his temples on his throne.

Slowly, his blue eyes opened and fixed on her. "Did it go well?" he asked, standing.

She nodded nervously. "I think so. It was harder than I thought it would be. Is Lizzie all right? Her mom had a big bruise across her face."

"She is now," he replied, rising to stand behind her and pull her into his embrace. "She was in a poor state when she arrived. The goblins were quite concerned. I took her and undid the harm. Now little Lizzie is a picture of health.

"She won't make it," Sarah sighed. "Anna is already exhausted and hurt. Even though she just read the book, she won't have the strength to reach the castle.

Jareth formed a crystal and peered into it. "No, I do not believe she will. Perhaps, if she had been in good health and spirits, she might have proved a worthy challenger. Instead I shall be shocked if she reaches the oubliette."

"Did you get rid of Madeleine's family?"

"I did indeed." With a deep exhalation, he fell back into his throne, taking Sarah with him. She found herself seated on his lap and held tightly in place.

"Is this going to be our life?" Sarah asked. "Dealing with crazed Fae that are mad I kicked out the simpering blonde and taking care of random children?"

"I am afraid so. Does this bother you?"

She considered. "Nope. It's perfect."

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AN: And that's that. Hopefully it wasn't too bad or anything along those lines. Just like always, I want to know what you think! Whatever you have to say, say it. I take reviews of any variety, so long as it's not pointlessly mean. Criticism is fine as long as it's constructive. Till next time!


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